International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES) is a leading international journal for publication of new ideas, the state of the art research results and fundamental advances in all aspects of Engineering and Science. IRJES is a open access, peer reviewed international journal with a primary objective to provide the academic community and industry for the submission of half of original research and applications

1. International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)
ISSN (Online) 2319-183X, (Print) 2319-1821
Volume 2, Issue 4(April 2013), PP.29-39
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Utilization of Pleurotus ostreatus in the Removal of Cr(VI) from
Chemical Laboratory Waste
Arbanah M., Miradatul Najwa M. R., Ku Halim K. H
Departmen of Chemical Engineering, University of Technoloy MARA,
Selangor, Malaysia.
ABSTRACT : The presence of Cr(VI) in the chemical waste have the potential to pose significant risks to
human health and environments. However, the conventional heavy metal removal have limitations where there
are need to introduce alternative treatments. Recently, there have been considerable interests in biosorption of
heavy metal using fungus. In the present study, the effectiveness of Cr(VI) removal from chemical waste was
evaluated by utilizing living white root fungus (mushroom) viz., Pleurotus ostreatus. Pleurotus ostreatus was
best growth at pH 9 and 25°C. The effects of pH, temperature and contact time were evaluated during the
treatment. The best operating treatment process was found at pH 5.0 with agitation speed of 150 rpm and
temperature of 25°C. Throughout the research, the percentage of removal was found increased with the
increasing of contact time between P.ostreatus and liquid laboratory chemical waste. The percentage removal
of Cr(VI) at pH 5 is the highest with 20.71% followed by pH 7, 18.89% and pH 9, 18.42%. FTIR analysis
proved the involvement of carboxylic (-COOH) and amide (-NH2) groups on the cell wall of P.ostreatus were
known involved in the adsorption process. This validates that Pleurotus ostreatus is a potential biosorbent for
laboratory chemical waste treatment.
Key words - Biosorption; Chemical Laboratory Waste Treatment; Pleurotus ostreatus; Heavy Metals
I. INTRODUCTION
The rising interest in research activities has lead to the increasing disposal of chemical waste in the
environment. In Malaysia, the Department of Environment (DOE) had notified that that the generation of
schedule waste was steeply increased from 1.1 million tonnes to 1.7 million tonnes from 2006 to 2009 [1]. This
figure can be expected to be increase with the growing of research activities. Obviously, chemical waste
contains heavy metals and classified as hazardous waste which cannot be eliminated by physical and chemical
treatment but only stabilized [2]. The difficulty in the treatment of chemical waste was because of their complex
compositions as compared to industrial wastewater [3]. The difficulty was contributed by wide variation of
chemicals involve, the difference in chemical waste generation and operations which always changing
depending on research objectives [4].
The stricter regulation on maximum acceptable concentrations of toxic heavy metals in wastewater
discharged into water and drinking waters set up by government had lead researchers to search for suitable
treatment methods. Previously, removal of heavy metal from liquid laboratory chemical waste usually achieved
through physical chemical process or incineration before discharging into natural body water system [2, 5]. It
was including of chemical precipitation [4], electrochemical treatment, reverse osmosis, ion exchange and
adsorption on adsorbents [6]. Unfortunately, the available treatments have drawbacks such as generating toxic
sludge product from treatment which require another special treatment with great difficulty [7]. Other than that,
the removal was ineffectiveness when involving low metals ion concentrations in the range 1-100 mg/L [8] as
well as high cost adsorbent.
Therefore, the present study had came out with a novel technologies in developing an alternative
treatment process by biological treatment to treat chemical waste in a more environmentally friendly,
economical and effective way [9]. Biological treatment utilized natural materials of biological origin such as
microbial including bacteria, algae or fungi. Fungi are significantly in reducing the concentration of heavy
metals from ppm to ppb level and had emerged as potential treatment methods [8]. Recently, microbial potential
have been utilized extensively in wastewater treatment mainly in the removal of metal contaminated effluent
[10] and few biomaterials had been recognized as highly potential in chemical waste treatment including
coconut coir [11]. P.ostreatus is one of the potential biomass for heavy metal removal from synthetics solutions
as well as wastewater effluent from electroplating industry [12, 13]. However, P.ostreatus is not yet being
applied in the removal of heavy metal from liquid laboratory chemical waste. Therefore, the aims of this study

2. Utilization Of Pleurotus Ostreatus In The Removal Of Cr(VI)From Chemical Laboratory Waste
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were to evaluate the potential of P.ostreatus in the removal of heavy metal from liquid laboratory chemical
waste treatment and to study the influences of pH, temperature and contact time on the heavy metals removal.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1 Sample and microorganism preparation
Sample of chemical waste was taken from undegraduate student activities in laboratory and was kept in
refrigerant at 4°C prior to characterize and treat (APHA, 2005). Microorganism P.ostreatus was purchased from
C&C Mushroom Cultivated Farm located in southern state of Johor, Malaysia and periodically grows.
P.ostreatus was cultivate in a Petri dish containing Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA)(Merck) at pH 7 until
sporulation for 7 days. Then, the inoculums were prepared by transfering three mycelium agar plugs (8 mm
diameter) taken from the edge of white colony PDA into 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask containing 100 mL of malt
extract (ME) solution. ME was prepared by adding 20g of ME powder into 1000 mL of distilled water at pH 5.
Then, P.ostreatus was incubated at 28°C for 15 days and agitated in orbital shaker at 150 rpm. During the
course of growing, the activties were done under laminar flow cabinet to prevent external microbial influence.
The growth medium and glassware used in the cultivation were sterelized at 121°C and 124kPa for 2 hours in
autoclave. Disinfection of the counter space and laboratory surfaces was achieved by wipping with a solution of
70% ethanol to ensure quality of the cultures. Apparatus were exposed under UV light for 15 minutes before
every use. After incubation period, P.ostreatus’s mycelium was harvested and separated from culture broth by
filtration before washed several time with distilled water until it was free from culture broth. The used
P.ostreatus was sterilized for 30 minutes at 121°C and 124kPa as a post-treatment before sending to respective
authorities for disposal.
2.2 Growing study on P.ostreatus
In order to study the effect of pH and temperature on the growth of P.ostreatus, the pH of ME broth
was adjusted to pH 5, 7 and 9 using 1M HCl and 1M NaOH. The effect of temperature on P.ostreatus growth
was evaluated between 25, 35 and 45°C. In the growth study of P.ostreatus, the observation was done by three
phases which are first, fifth and tenth days. The growth study curve was measured by weight of mycelium
P.ostreatus versus growing day. The growing day was conducted until the growth phase decline.
2.3 Chemical waste characterization
The involvement of functional groups in heavy metal uptake was evaluated by fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was measured according to standard method
using Hach spectrophotometer DR/2800 in mg/L. Heavy metal concentration in chemical waste was determined
using Atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) (PerkinElmer Analyst 700, USA) with deuterium background
corrector. All measurements were carried out in an air/acetylene flame. A 10 cm long slot-burner head, a lamp
and an air-acetylene flame were used. Waste sample from Chemistry Laboratory at Faculty of Chemical
Engineering was characterized and compared with standard B guideline set up by Department of Environment
(DOE) Malaysia (Table 1). The liquid laboratory chemical sample was from the undergraduate student’s
laboratory experiment known as ‘Determination of Chromium’.
Table 1: Characteristics liquid laboratory chemical waste
Test Parameter Unit Sample 1 Standard B*
Temperature °C 28 40
pH 3.03 9
BOD5 at 20°C mg/L 20.22 50
COD mg/L 15, 000 100
Hexavalent Chromium, Cr(VI) mg/L 2.9 1.00
*Environmental Quality Act, 1974 Environmental Quality Regulations (Sewage and Industrial effluents), 1979
2.4 Batch biosorption study
Heavy metals uptake was performed in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask containing 100 mL desired
concentration of liquid laboratory chemical waste at 25°C and 150 rpm in the incubator shaker. The effect of pH
was studies by varying pH 5, 7 and 9 by adding 1M HCl and 1M NaOH which was adjusted at the beginning of
experiment and not controlled afterwards. 0.2 g wet weight with average size 4-5 mm of living P.ostreatus
pallete was added into 100 mL synthetic metal ions solution and shaking at 150 rpm. About 5 mL of sample
were collected at definite time intervals (2, 4, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours) while others parameters (agitation speed:
150 rpm, temperature: 25°C, pH 5 ) were kept constants. Experiments were repeated with temperatures 25 and

3. Utilization Of Pleurotus Ostreatus In The Removal Of Cr(VI)From Chemical Laboratory Waste
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35°C and pH 5, 7 and 9. Each experiment was followed by centrifugation and filtration through Whatman filter
paper No.1. The residual filtrates were placed in incubator at 20°C before being analyze by using AAS (Model,
Varian AA 1275 series). For each of experiment blank, 100 mL of chemical waste without P.ostreatus was
shaken simultaneously to determine any adsorption of metal onto the wall of flasks and a control of water with
0.2 g mycelium P.ostreatus was shaken to determine any leaching of metals from mushrooms.
2.6 Analysis of biosorption efficiency
The amount Cr(VI) ions adsorbed by each gram of biosorbent (q) in mg/g and the efficiency of
biosorption (E) in % were calculated using following Equations 1 and 2
q = V (1)
E = (
(2)
Where is the initial concentration (mg/L); is the final concentration (mg/L); is wet weight of the
biosorbent in the aqueous solution (g) and V is volume of aqueous soultion (mL). Experiments were carried out
in triplicates and control experiments were also conducted.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Identification of carboxylic and amide group in P.ostreatus
During the studies, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was carried out to
identify the involvement of functional groups on P.ostreatus cell wall during the removal of Cr(VI) from liquid
laboratory chemical waste. Usually, the cell wall of fungal compromise of carboxyl(COOH), phosphate(PO4),
amide(NH2), thiol(SH) and hydroxide(OH) which are important functional groups during heavy metal ions
binding [14]. Figs. 1 and 2 show the FTIR analysis which pointed out the broad adsorption band wavelength of
NH (3292.7 to 3337.7) cm-1
and COOH (1636.6 to 1630.6) cm-1
. Based on the FTIR result obtained, it can be
concluded that the NH and COOH groups were involved during Cr(VI) removal. According to Javaid et al.
(2011), the involvement of –NH group was contributed from chitin and chitosan as the major donor at the
P.ostreatus cell wall [12].
4000.0 3600 3200 2800 2400 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 515.0
19.5
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
112.7
cm-1
%T
3855.5
3749.2
3733.4
3688.9
3292.7
2362.9
2335.9
2088.5
1636.6
1366.3
1217.0
638.1
612.5
595.0
564.4
542.2
Figure 1: FTIR analysis of Cr(VI) adsorption by P.ostreatus before liquid laboratory chemical waste treatment

4. Utilization Of Pleurotus Ostreatus In The Removal Of Cr(VI)From Chemical Laboratory Waste
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4000.0 3600 3200 2800 2400 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 515.0
30.7
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
108.5
cm-1
%T
3751.1
3337.7 1630.6
595.2
568.2
555.7
543.7
Figure 2: FTIR analysis of Cr(VI) adsorption by P.ostreatus after liquid laboratory chemical waste treatment.
3.2 Growth study of P.ostreatus
The pH and temperature plays major roles in the growth of living P.ostreatus. A visual examination of
the growth culture of P.ostreatus on the PDA was shown in Figs. 3. On the first day, P.ostreatus was cultivated
on PDA at 28°C Fig. 3(a) and after fifth days, white hype P.ostreatus was quarterly covered on the PDA Petri
dish and is ready to be transferred into 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask for inoculation as shown in the
Fig. 3(c).
Figures 3: The cultivation of P.ostreatus on PDA agar slant. (a) day-1, (b) day-5, (c) day-10
After 10 days, three mycelium agar plugs from PDA containing P.ostreatus culture were transferred into
Erlenmeyer flask containing ME medium and was growth for 13 days in the incubator shaker at 150rpm and
25°C (Fig. 4 (a)). P.ostreatus was grown in the form of spherical pellets of dull white color (Fig. 4(b)).
(a) (b) (c)

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Figure 4: The inoculation of P.ostreatus (a) ME broth on rotator shaker (b) P.ostreatus in ME
The growth study of P.ostreatus was measured by weight of mycelium growth and it is shown from Fig. 5 that
P.ostreatus exhibits a typical S-shaped curve. The growth curve of P.ostreatus is similar to Wu et al. (2003) on
Pleurotus tuber-regium [15]. Typically, the growing of fungi is rapidly in the beginning and followed with an
exponential growth phase and plateau or known as stationary phase. However, after that the growing was
declined. The P.ostreatus mycelium experienced lagged phase growth for period four days where the rate of
growth or cell division was slower. However, the growth increased rapidly until seven days during exponential
growth phase until fixed nutrient was enough for growth. During that time, no noticeable change in P.osteatus
mycelium concentration in the flask or the growing was stationary. Finally, the growth was declined due to the
limited nutrient when the oxygen becomes depleted or metabolic by-products accumulate to toxic level which
inhibited the P.ostreatus growing.
Figure 5: The growth phase study on P.ostreatus
Cell age of biosorbent will influence on metal biosorption when involving living microorganism [16].
It was believed that the cell at lag phase or early stage growth phase has a higher biosorptive capacity for metal
ion compare to the stationary phase [17]. The inoculation of P.ostreatus at different temperature and pH were
found to produce different palletize size of P.ostreatus. The growing of P.ostreatus as effect of pH between 5, 7
and 9 were shown in Fig. 6 at constant temperature but different pH. The inoculated P.ostreatus resulted in
(a) (b)

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different mean size diameter of 3.8 mm, 4.2 mm and 5.2 mm for pH 5, 7 and 9, respectively. It can be observed
that the P.ostreatus growth size was smaller at lower pH compared to higher pH. The largest palletize
P.ostreatus size was found at pH 9 which indicated that the P.ostreatus highly growth in basic condition. Figs.
6(a, b, c) show the diameter size of inoculated fungi at different pH and constant temperature of 25°C.
Figure 6: Diameter size of P.ostreatus inoculated at constant temperature 25⁰C and different pH a) pH5 b)
pH7 c) pH9
The study on the effect of pH 5, 7 and 9 at constant temperature of 35⁰C on the inoculation of P.ostreatus was
shown in Fig. 7. The inoculation of P.ostreatus produced different mean size diameter of 3.4, 3.6 and 4.0 mm
for pH 5, 7 and 9. The effect of pH towards the inoculation at 35⁰C shows the same behavioral pattern with the
inoculation at 25⁰C where the largest growth was found at pH 9.
Figure 7: Diameter size of P.ostreatus inoculated at constant temperature 35⁰C and different pH a) pH 5 b) pH 7
c) pH 9
To study the effect of temperature on the inoculation of P.ostreatus, the growth temperature was set up at higher
temperature than 35⁰C which is at 45⁰C. It can be seen in Figure 8 that there is no existence of P.ostreatus
growth was found at 45⁰C and at varying pH 5, 7 and 9, respectively.
3.8mm
4.2mm 5.2mm
a b c
3.4mm
m
3.6mm
4.0mm
(a) (b) (c)

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Figure 8: Inoculation of P.ostreatus at constant temperature 45⁰C and different pH a) pH 5 b) pH 7 c) pH 9
Therefore, batch biosorption studies were not conducted at a temperature higher than 45⁰C. This can be
concluded that the suitable inoculation condition for P.ostreatus was at 25⁰C and pH 9. The best growth
temperature for P.ostreatus was similar with Nwokoye et al. (2006) who observed the best growing temperature
for P.ostreatus was found at 28⁰C and pH 9 [18].
3.3 Effect of pH in the treatment of liquid laboratory chemical waste
It was found that as the pH increased from 5 to 9 as the biosorption capacity decreased. The highest
removal was observed when initial pH of liquid laboratory chemical waste was at 5 with 13.36% removal
compared to pH 7 (9.46%) and pH 9 (8.90%) at an early 2 hours contact time (Fig. 9). The maximum removal of
Cr(VI) was observed at pH 5 which approached 17.02% comparing to pH 7 (15.10%) and pH 9 (12.59%). The
fact of pH 5 is the best biosorption of metal ions approved by the study of Huang et al. (1988) who found that
metal ions removal was increased with pH greater than 4. At pH 5, the removal of Cr(VI) is faster because the
proton competition between Cr(VI) and H3O+
are lower thus increase the potential of Cr(VI) bind to P.ostreatus
active sites. At this time the affinity of the P.ostreatus surface for Cr(VI) also increase. It was proved from the
studied of Romera et al. (2007)[19]. It was observed at pH 9, the percentage removal of Cr(VI) is the lowest
which maximum uptake at 48 and 72 hours contact time was only 12.59% from 8.90% (Fig. 9). Less biosorption
of Cr(VI) was observed at higher pH of 7 and 9 because of the high competition between metal ions and
hydrogen ions for biosorption available sites [20]. During this pH, the lower removal was caused by the metal
hydrolysis process where formation of hydroxylated complexes of Cr(VI) [21, 22]. During this time, the
competition between H3O+
is lower thus adsorption increase as ionic competition for active sites increased [20].
Nemr et al. (2011) stated that at pH higher than 3 the biosorbent posses more functional group carrying a net
negative charge, which tends to repulse the anions from aqueous solution [9]. It can be seen that pH is one of the
important parameter need to be considered in the biosorption process of heavy metal in liquid laboratory
chemical waste. The selection of pH must be suitable, wherein it is not toxic to P.ostreatus. Based on the result
obtained, the optimum pH in biosorption process was found to be 5.
(a) (b) (c)

8. Utilization Of Pleurotus Ostreatus In The Removal Of Cr(VI)From Chemical Laboratory Waste
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Figure 9: Efficiency removal of Cr(VI) from liquid laboratory chemical waste at different pH 5,7 and 9 by
P.ostreatus at 25⁰C and 150 rpm
3.4 Effect of contact time between P.ostreatus and liquid laboratory chemical waste
It was observed that the rapid uptake of Cr(VI) from liquid laboratory chemical waste at temperature
25⁰C and pH 5 during the first 2 hours with 190 mg/g biosorption capacity (13.36% removal efficiency) (Fig.
10). Almost similar percentage removal reduction (13.36 % and 13.46%) was observed from 2 hours to 4 hours
because of slower diffusion of metal ions into the interior of the P.ostreatus cell wall [23]. However, the
increasing biosorption capacity and efficiency was observed at contact time 6 hours to 48 hours. It was because
the available sites of biosorption increase as Cr(VI) had adsorb into intracellular of P.ostreatus [24].
Insignificant uptake of Cr(VI) concentration was observed at 48 hours and remained nearly constant until 72
hours where it suggested that the equilibrium condition was achieved. After this period, the amount of Cr(VI)
adsorbed did not significantly change with time.
Figure 10: Biosorption capacity (mg/g) Cr(VI) concentration removal by P.ostreatus at temperatue at 25⁰C and
agitation speed at 150 rpm
3.5 Effect of temperature on biosorption by P.ostreatus
It was observed that the biosorption of metal ions decreased with increasing temperature from 25 to 35
°C (Figs. 11, 12, 13). The similar trend on biosorption decreased with increasing temperature which also

9. Utilization Of Pleurotus Ostreatus In The Removal Of Cr(VI)From Chemical Laboratory Waste
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observed by Huiping et al. (2007). It was because of exothermic nature of biosorption process [17]. The pH 5
was observed the highest biosorption capacity at temperature 25°C (189.95 mg/g) as compared to 35°C (104.26
mg/g) at early 2 hours contact (Fig. 11). It was found that during 2 hours contact time, at pH 7 the biosorption
difference was 33.6 mg/g (Fig. 12) and pH 9 was 124.09 mg/g (Fig. 13). The highly difference biosorption
capacity was observed at pH 9 where at 25°C the Cr(VI) biosorption capacity at 129.08 mg/g and only 4.98
mg/g observed at 35°C at early 2 hours (Fig. 13). The decrease in biosorption capacity is due to damage of
active binding sites at higher temperature [25]. The pH 9 and temperature 35⁰C showed lowest biosorption
capacity of Cr(VI) (Fig. 13). High pH showed lowest biosorption but too high temperature decreased metal
sorption due to distortion of some sites of the cell surface for Cr(VI) biosorption [26]. Based on the result,
biosorption of Cr(VI) is exothermic process. As a whole, Cr(VI) were effectively adsorbed by P.ostreatus in the
temperature range of 25 to 35°C and maximum absorption was observed at 25°C at all pH (Figs. 11,12,13).
Figure 11: Graph bar of final concentration of Cr(VI) versus contact time at temperature 25 and 35°C; agitation
speed 150 rpm; pH 5

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Figure 12: Graph bar of final concentration of Cr(VI) versus contact time at temperature 25 and 35°C; agitation
speed 150 rpm; pH 7
Figure 13: Graph bar of final concentration of Cr(VI) versus contact time at temperature 25 and 35°C; agitation
speed 150 rpm; pH 9
IV. CONCLUSION
On the basis of data presented above, P.ostreatus employed in this study is a potential fungus to be
applied for removal of toxic heavy metals from liquid laboratory chemical waste. It was observed that there are
involvement of two important functional groups, COOH and NH on P.ostreatus in Cr(VI) adsorption. As pH
increased from 5 to 9, the biosorption efficiency decreased. The highest biosorption efficiency was observed at
pH 5 with 17.02% and the lowest was at pH 9 with 12.60% and only 15.11% for pH 7. The best pH condition
for the treatment was at 5 and temperature 25°C. These treatment condition were significantly proven towards
treatment of liquid laboratory chemical waste particularly Cr(VI). Therefore, the research is significant in

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helping to reduce heavy metals content in liquid laboratory chemical waste. However, research is also need to be
exploring the possibilities P.ostreatus of recovery and regeneration of precious metal ions. If it can happen, it
can protect the environment and hence, contribute to the valuable treatment. Lastly, the research work should be
extended to longer biosorption day for liquid laboratory chemical waste to remove heavy metals at the lowest
concentration.
V. Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Research Management Institute (RMI), UiTM Shah Alam for the financial
support to carry out this project through Research Intensive Faculty Excellent Fund and Faculty of Chemical
Engineering for research collaboration.
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